Automatic setup box or carton



AUTOMATIC SETUP BOX OR CARTON Filed Nov. 9, 1939 m m 3/2 B I iii: 5; 415 J 4 INVENTOR. BY 77 60 M /////2'/7 ATTORNEYJ certain preliminary folding and adhesive apply- .5

Patented Sept. 15,1942

UNITED STATES PATENT orFicE AUTOMATIC SETUP BOX on canon Fred J. Ullrich, KaIamaaoo Mich, assignor of one-half to Leo a. was.

, t nement.

Application November 9, mo. Serial No. 303,59:

2 Glaims. (01. 229-41) This invention relates to improvements in automatic setup boxes or cartons. a The main objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a novel automatic setup box or carton.

Second, to provide a cartonof the type described which is adapted to be originally assembled in flat or knockdown form and to be quickly and conveniently set up by a simple manipulation, the resultant carton in setup form having a very strong and rigid bottom which is highly Fig. 7 is an"el'evational view mastrating abox or carton embodying the details of my invention and also illustrating the construction of the side- .walls and top closure thereof.

My present invention relates to a box or carton such as is generally formed of a relatively stiff grade of container stock or cardboard. In par"- ticular, the invention relates to a novel bottom for a box whereby the same may be assembled and supplied in flat collapsed or knockdown coni dition and quickly and easily set up when the resistant to inadvertent displacement and rein forces the carton as a whole.

Third, to provide a box having an automatic setup bottom of the type described, including overlapping and interlocking elements automati. v

cally engageable when the box is set up and further elements to hold the first, named elements in placeand reinforce and brace the box after the same isset up or erected.

Fourth, to provide an automatic setup box of the type described which may be produced and assembled by relatively few operations and without appreciable waste of material.

Further objects relating to details and economies of my invention will definitely appear from the description to follow! The invention is defined in the claims. i a

A structure embodying the features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. wherein:

Fig. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a box ticular showing the improved automatic quick setup bottom thereof in erected condition.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on a 'line corre-- sponding to line 2-4 of Fig. 1 with a portion of the innermost bottom flap broken away to illustrate in greater detail the relatiomof the bottom forming parts.

Fig. 3 is a view in section generally similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the disposition of the parts of the bottom at an early stage of I the setting ing operations thereon.

occasion therefor arises with a minimum of manual manipulation. The primary object of my invention is to produce a box having such advantages which, moreover, is very strong. rigid. and resistant to displacement. Further, it is highly desirable that such a box or carton be capable.

of being made with a minimum of material and material wastage and by relatively simple steps.

in Fig. 5 and designated by the reference um;

or carton embodying myinvention, and in paris, adapted to be adhered to theremote side wall The box or carton to be hereinafter described 1 satisfies all of these requirements and lends itself for use in the packaging of many diiferent types of commodities wherein a strong and economical container is desired.

Referring tothe drawing, the reference numeral I in general indicates a box of my invention which is formed from the blank illustrated meral 2. This blank is cut from a suitable'grade of container stock or cardboard stock and is shaped, scored, and perforated or otherwise rendered bendable or hinged, as illustrated in Fig. 5 to provide side walls 3, 4, end walls 5, 8

adjacent and connected to the respective side walls, and a securing tab ,1 formed as a lateral extension of one of the end walls 5 and which 4 in a manner to be described t'olcomplete a tubularbody for the box.

The end'walls 5, 6 each have 8 integral therewith and the side wall 3 likewise has. .a top closure 9 terminatingin a tucking tongue to, the closure 9. being adapted to be disposed over the flaps 8 with the tongue inserted in the box to complete a top closure in an obvious manner. The position of the top flap 9 is not limitedto the wall 3, but can be an integral part of wall 4, which eliminates any objection to having the sealing tab 1 disposed on the front of the box to interfere with the, insertion of the tongue Hi. In the illustrated embodiment, the

flaps I and flare separated byslits ll, although it will be apparent that other top closure provisions may be employed, such, 'for example, as

are illustrated in my copending application,

Serial No. 287,568, filed July 31, 1939. Notches |2 formed between the tongue l and the fiap 9 serve to increase the resistance of the top closure to outward displacement and in general rigidify the top'when it is closed.

It is with the bottom construction. that the present invention is primarily concerned. This construction consists in its entirety of a onepiece bottom member or extension l3 integral with and laterally coextensive with the walls 3, 4, 5, 6, being integrally united thereto by the scored line A--B. This extension is separated into individual bottom or end members 3|, 4|, 5|, 6| corresponding to the walls 3, 4, 5, 6, respectively, by the perforated lines H which are in fact extensions of the score lines |5 by which the walls 3, 4, 5, 6 are outlined. Further angularly disposed perforated lines I6, I1, I 8 sub-'. divide the end members 4| 3|,

bottom of the carton constituting an inner end member covering the other end members intew riorly of the carton, as will be described.

It will be observed that in the embodiment under consideration the side walls 3, 4. and end walls 5, 6, though all rectangular, have different dimensions, with the result that the bottom or end of the box will be rectangular but not equilateral or square. My invention finds its preferred application in the production of a box having a rectangular bottom which is other than square for it provides a sliding overlap of certain of the opposed walls during setting up of the box, which is advantageous. However, I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited particularly in this respect and is well employed in the production of boxes having square walls and bottoms.

In assembling a knockdown box or carton from the blank 2 cut, scored, and perforated or otherwise rendered bendable as described'above, the same is first folded on the line A- -B to bring the one-piece bottom member or extension 3 upwardly onto the body or wall portion of the blank as illustrated in Fig. 6. Preferably adhesive or cement is then applied to the exposed faces of the end member sections M3 and 5|2 and to an area l9 along the exposed edge of the side wall 4 for coaction with the sealing tab 1 in the manner to be described. However, it will be apparent that the sequence of the folding and initial adhesive applying operations may be altered, the adhesive being applied to the blank when the latter is still in the fiat form of Fig. 5.

With the blank folded and supplied with adhesive, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the same is then folded along the line C-D to superpose end wall 5, the end member 5|, and the sealing tab 1 on the side wall 6 and end member 3| simultaneously causing the adhesive bearing end member section 5|2 to adhere to a corresponding undesigengage the tab and secure the blank in fiat tubular carton form, and simultaneously causing the adhesive bearing area 3 on end member 4| to engage and adhere to a correspondingly shaped undesignated area on the end member 6|. The end member 3 it will be noted, is shaped so that a straight edge 2| is left between the section 3|2 and the part of section 3|3 to which end member 5| is adhered, whereby in erecting the carton the corner of end member 4| will be received without interference behind this edge, being in erected form substantially overlapped thereby (see Fig. 1) Pressure is applied until the cemented coacting areas are firmly united and as a result will move simultaneously in setting up the box in the manner to be described. The aforesaid series of operations are well adapted to be performed on existing carton making machines.

The assembling of the carton is now complete and I contemplate that the thus assembled cartons will be supplied to the trade in this fiat or knockdown form. In setting up the carton when occasion demands, it is only necessary to grasp the same in fiat form and apply compressive force to the opposite extremities designated 20 in Figs. 3 and 4 to cause the side walls 3, 4 to move in opposite directions, erecting the carton toward the I final dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 4.

This results in simultaneous downward and inward swinging of all the bottom members. The

end members 3|, 5| swing inwardly and down,-

wardly together, since they are united at the cemented section 5| 2 of the latter. During -such swinging, end member 5| bends along its score line i8 so that the section 3|3 on member 3| which is adhesively secured to the cemented section 5|2 collapses downwardly with said cemented section onto the uncemented section 5|3 of member 5|, reaching this position when the walls are finally erected to rectangular form. Meanwhile, the end member 6|, being secured to member 4| by the cemented section M3 on the latter swings downwardly and inwardly with member 4|. During this movement, the stock of the members 3|, 6|, 4| bends along perforated lines l6, l1, and I4 whereby when the parts reach final setup position, section 3|2 of member 3| bendably overlaps and lies on section 3|3, between section 3|3 and member 6|. The member 6| and the cemented section 4|3 of member 4| to which it is secured lie over the uncemented section 4|2 of member 4|, thus constituting an inner bottom member or layer of the full cross sectional area of the carton and entirely covering and concealing the lines of overlap of the other end members 3|, 4|, 5|. The corner 4|4 of member 4| is received without interference by the relieved edge 2| on member 3|.

As the end members swing downward in pairs I as described, the member 6|, being of full width camera shutter during their downward and inward swinging. In final form, they come to rest in laterally overlapped position as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, with member 6 superposed thereover to provide a one-piece innermost layer .of the full bottom area of the carton. The corner of the double thickness folded member 4| readily enters behind the exposed edge 2| of member 3|, which is the bottommost of the four. The uncemented portion 5|3 of end member 5| swings These also approach the final plane of the 1 all the way laterally beneath the uncemented section 2 of member 4|; whereby to fully seal the bottom at this point without undue thickness. As stated, the full sizemember 8| is the last flap in the movement or the flaps toward erected or setup position and when the contents of the carton are inserted therein, this full length member is forced or jammed downwardly on top of the other members to finally urge the same to locked position, at the same time frictionally engaging the side walls of the carton to rigidity and strengthen the bottom,whereby the latter eflectively resists crushing displacement as well as any tendency of the end members to return to inoperative position.

It will be noted that the bottom thus formed is gusseted by the cemented or integral bendable end members at three of its four corners, i. e.,

all except the corner between members 4|, 5|. These two members are well overlapped in flnal form (see Fig.-l) so that it is evident that the carton is practically leakproof at its bottom.

The aforesaid carton is primarily characterized by its strength and stur'diness, although it will be appreciated that the practically seamless and fully sealed bottom made possible by the onepiece, integrally connected bottom extension member I3 is also a highly advantageous feature. Erection of the carton is instantaneous and with the commodity inserted therein the walls and bottom are effectively braced against returnto original form. i a

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment which is very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired. I

Having thus described {my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: b

1. A box or carton formed of an integral blank comprising alined side wall members, the ends of the blank being joined to provide a tubular side wall unit, the side wall members being hingedly connected for collapsing, each side wall member being provided with an end member exstltuting an inner end member, other non-adjacent end members of the blank having diagonally disposed hinging portions disposed in angular relation to each other, the remaining end member of the blank having a diagonally disposed hinging portion disposed in parallel relation to the hinging portion oi. the adjacent end member, the said end members having the parallel hinglng portions bemg collapsible on each other when in the form of the unit and having portions thereoi adjacent their mutual hinging portion adhesively secured together, the said inner end member and the other end member having the diagonal hinging portion being collapsible on each other and having portions thereof adjacent their mutual hinging'portion adhesively'secured togetherwhereby the box with "he parts thereof so secured may be collapsed and may be erected by pressure upon the side edges of the collapsed structure and the end members automatically swung to erected position.

2. A box or carton formed of an integral blank comprising alined side wall members, the'ends of the blank being joined to provide a tubular side wall unit, the side wall members being hingedly connected for collapsing, each side wall member being provided with an end member extension hingedly connected thereto, the end members being hingedly connected to each other, one end member constituting an inner end member, other non-adjacent end members or the blank having diagonally disposed hinging portions disposed in angular relation to each other, the remaining end member of the blank having a diagonally disposed hlnging portion parallel to that of the adjacent end member, the said and members having the parallel hinging portions being collapsible on each other when in the form of the unit and having portions thereof adjacent their mutual hinging portion secured together, the said inner end member and the other end member having the diagonal hinging portion being collapsible on each other and having portions thereof adjacent their mutual hinging portion secured together tension hingedly connected thereto, the end 1 members being hingedly connected to each other, one end member being of substantially the full transverse dimensions of the erected box and conwhereby the box with the parts thereof so secured may be collapsed and may be erected by pressure upon the side edges of the collapsed'structure and the end members automatically swung to erected position.

FRED J. ULLRICH. 

